Good morning! It's Wednesday 13 August . This is The Front Cover, your daily portal into Mencari News's universe as well as our interpretation of the global scene.

We're still following the story about Australia recognising the State of Palestine at the UN General Assembly meeting in September. As you know, different political organisations have been criticising PM Anthony Albanese over it. Another big story this morning: the RBA just cut interest rates. Read on for more details.

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Today's reading time is 5 minutes. - Miko Santos

➡️ Outback Wrangler Star Matt Wright Trial: Pilot Admits Lying After Fatal Helicopter Crash That Killed Chris Wilson. Pilot Sebastian Robinson, who was paralyzed in a 2022 helicopter crash that killed Outback Wrangler co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson, testified in court that reality TV star Matt Wright regularly ordered pilots to disconnect flight-time meters and falsify records, admitting he initially lied to crash investigators out of panic and fear of losing his license.

➡️ Australia Recognizes Palestinian Statehood Despite Concerns Over Palestinian Authority's Terrorist Funding History. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Australia will recognize Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly in September under the leadership of the Palestinian Authority, despite widespread concerns about the organization's history of funding terrorist families through "Martyrs Fund" payments and leader Mahmoud Abbas's antisemitic statements and lack of democratic elections since 2005.

➡️ Former SA Liberal Leader David Speirs Opens Up About Suicidal Thoughts After Drug Conviction and Political Downfall. Former South Australian Liberal opposition leader David Speirs has revealed he experienced suicidal thoughts and his "darkest moments" after being convicted and fined $9000 on drug supply charges that forced his resignation from parliament, though he now advocates for men's mental health through a Kokoda track challenge while leaving the door open for a potential return to politics when he feels sufficiently healed.

➡️ Trump Takes Federal Control of Washington DC Police, Deploys National Guard Troops to Capital Streets. President Donald Trump has taken federal control of Washington DC's police force and deployed National Guard troops to the nation's capital streets after declaring a public safety emergency, despite local officials questioning his claims and civil rights advocates warning the unprecedented move echoes historical patterns of federal intervention in majority-Black cities.

➡️ EU Leaders Warn Against Forced Ukraine Border Changes Days Before Trump-Putin Alaska Summit. Twenty-six of 27 European Union leaders signed a statement declaring that Ukraine's borders must not be changed by force and emphasizing territorial integrity principles, just two days before President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are scheduled to meet in Alaska to discuss a potential peace deal that could involve territorial concessions from Ukraine.

➡️ Former Supreme Court Judge Warns Starmer That Palestine Action Terror Ban Goes Too Far, Urges Law Changes. Former Supreme Court Judge Lord Sumption has warned Prime Minister Keir Starmer that the terrorism legislation used to arrest over 500 Palestine Action supporters in London is "not consistent with basic rights to free speech" and should be amended, as politicians across party lines criticize the mass arrests as an excessive use of counterterrorism powers that threatens peaceful protest rights.

➡️ UFC Signs Massive $7.7 Billion Deal with Paramount, Leaving ESPN in 2026 for Streaming-First Model. The Ultimate Fighting Championship has signed a groundbreaking seven-year, $7.7 billion agreement with Paramount that will move all UFC events from ESPN to Paramount+ streaming and CBS television starting in 2026, marking a major shift away from the traditional pay-per-view model to make mixed martial arts more accessible to mainstream audiences.

➡️ Dylan Shiel Banned One Game by AFL Tribunal in Test Case After Push Injured Essendon Teammate Luamon Lual. Essendon veteran Dylan Shiel received a one-game suspension from the AFL tribunal in an unprecedented test case after his push on Geelong's Mark O'Connor caused the Cat to collide with Shiel's teammate Luamon Lual, who landed heavily on his head and shoulder, with the tribunal ruling that players have a duty of care to all players regardless of team affiliation.

➡️ $10,000 Worth of Labubu Dolls Stolen in Los Angeles Store Burglary as Pop Mart Collectible Craze Continues. Four masked burglars broke into a Los Angeles store and stole approximately $10,000 worth of popular Labubu dolls made by Chinese retailer Pop Mart, with security footage showing the thieves taking all inventory of the trendy elf-like collectible toys that have become a global sensation among celebrities and collectors worldwide.

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